Aname ethabuka, Wilson & Harvey & Simmons & Rix, 2025

Wilson, Jeremy D., Harvey, Mark S., Simmons, Leigh W. & Rix, Michael G., 2025, An integrative systematic revision of the wishbone spiders (Araneae: Anamidae: Aname L. Koch, 1873) of subtropical and tropical eastern Australia, with the description of 55 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 985, pp. 1-298 : 172-173

Aname ethabuka sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5FE7BA2C-CF73-4963-A344-BD2360528288

Figs 14 , 111

Diagnosis

Males of A. ethabuka sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a moderate to large body size (carapace length>4.0 mm), the presence of a short embolus (embolus length / bulb length <1.5) that is straight (and thus looks relatively long), a digitiform tibial spur with a long megaspine (megaspine length/ tibia length>0.3), and a very inconspicuous proximal excavation on metatarsus I ( Fig. 111A–Q ).

Females of A. ethabuka sp. nov. are unknown.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ ethabuka ’ is a noun in apposition, referencing the Ethabuka Nature Reserve (previously Ethabuka Station), in the northern Simpson Desert, where this species was found.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Simpson Desert, Ethabuka Station ; 23°46′ S, 138°28′ E; Apr.–May 1991; C. Dickman and F. Downey leg.; pitfall trap; QMB S95216 .

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S95216)

GENERAL ( Fig. 111A–Q ). Body length 12.89, in moderate condition, abdomen damaged, colour presumably faded.

DORSAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 111A, E–F ). Carapace length 4.90, width 4.32, length/width 1.13, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.67, caput width/carapace width 0.61, carapace red-orange, caput slighty darker than thorax, reflective setae present, light on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.10 ( Fig. 111A, F ); chelicerae red, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.48 ( Fig. 111A ); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.89, eye tubercle present ( Fig. 111E ).

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 111B, D ). Abdomen length 5.57, grey-brown, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA ( Fig. 111C, G–I ). Labium cuspules absent ( Fig. 111H ); maxillae heel absent or inconspicuous, cuspules present, count = about 46, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 35% of maxillae length ( Fig. 111C, I ); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present ( Fig. 111C, I ); sternum length/width 1.21, central sternum with consistent covering of short setae, row of longer setae around posterior edges ( Fig. 111G–H ); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.30, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.13 ( Fig. 111G– H ); other sigilla small, round and lateral ( Fig. 111G–H ).

LEG I ( Fig. 111N–Q ). Leg I pallid-orange, reflective setae on dorsal femur, femur length 4.57, patella length 2.74, tibia length 3.09, metatarsus length 3.39, tarsus length 2.10, total length 15.88, leg I length/ carapace length 3.24 ( Fig. 111N–O ); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus ( Fig. 111N–O ); spine count Fe D 2, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 ( Fig. 111N–O ); tibia length/ width [TIL/TID] 3.26, even width along length, spur present, digitiform, knuckle absent, megaspine angled at 36 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.46, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.71, megaspine length/tibia length 0.33 ( Fig. 111N–P ); metatarsus relatively straight, proximal excavation present, excavation straight with inconspicuous heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.43, metatarsus length/width [MIL/MID] 4.56 ( Fig. 111N–O, Q ).

PEDIPALP ( Fig. 111J–M ). Tibia length 2.31, width 0.80, length/width [PTL/PTD] 2.88, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.59, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with two elongate bristle-like setae below depression, prolateral face with patch of spines on distal half, disto-medial spine present ( Fig. 111J–K ); patella prolateral face with 0 spines ( Fig. 111J–K ); cymbium with scopulae present distally ( Fig. 111J–K ); copulatory organ total length 1.26, length/palp tibia length 0.55 ( Fig. 111L–M ); bulb length/width 1.05 ( Fig. 111L–M ); embolus tapering from bulb, attenuate, long and relatively straight, slight bend before tip, width at base/ bulb width 0.23, embolus length/bulb length 1.31 ( Fig. 111L–M ).

Distribution and natural history

Aname ethabuka sp. nov. occurs in far western Queensland, in the Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields bioregion. The species is known from one location near the Ethabuka Reserve, north-west of Bedourie ( Fig. 14 ). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.

Figures

Fig. 14. Distribution, habitus images, and burrow architecture of miscellaneous species of Aname from eastern Australia. Points on the map represented by a star are type localities.

Fig. 111. Aname ethabuka sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (QMB S95216). A. Cephalothorax, dorsal view. B. Abdomen, dorsal view. C. Cephalothorax, ventral view. D. Abdomen, ventral view. E. Ocular region. F. Fovea. G. Sternal sigilla, left view. H. Sternum and labium. I. Maxilla and coxae I–II, left view. J–K. Left pedipalp, full prolateral view (J), partial retrolateral view (K). L–M. Right bulb, prolateral view (L), dorsal view (M). N–Q. Left leg I, full prolateral view (N), full retrolateral view (O), retrolateral view of tibia (P), retrolateral view of metatarsus (Q). Scale bars: A–B, J, N =2 mm; L= 1 mm.